The Quantum Mirror
by d3vilish
Summary: She couldn't give up going through the quantum mirror any easier than she could give up Jack O'Neill. She was addicted. To what was on the other side but namely to who was on the other side. He would wait for her, each night without fail...
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Um just got uber bored one day? This one has been sitting on my HD for the longest time...I hope you enjoy it.

**Rated** **M** - definitely future sex... I can't help it! Even when I try to behave I can't!

**Spoilers? **Mmmm all seasons with a quantum mirror?

Insert the I don't own any of characters speech here!

-- d3vilish

* * *

**The Quantum Mirror**

* * *

_She couldn't give up going through the quantum mirror any easier than she could give up Jack O'Neill. She was addicted. To what was on the other side but namely to __who was on the other side. He would wait for her, each night without fail for the past five months - quite possibly the best five months of her life. And yet she knew she had to let go._

* * *

"Are you absolutely certain Major Carter?" General Hammond closed the file in front of him.

"Yes sir. From what I can tell their reality is almost identical to ours. Now in every other alternate reality that we have encountered through the quantum mirror found on P3R-233 the differences have been obvious. But for some reason I haven't been able to pin point the exact key event that separates our universe from theirs." Taking a quick pause, "Now in multiverse theory there are an infinite number of parallel universes that are uniquely identified by a pivotal moment which creates a slight variance in the scenario occurring -- it's easier to think of it as a continuously splitting fork in the road, with each choice creating a different set of circumstances." After taking a breath she continued, "What is amazing, sir, is that every major decision they have made thus far has completely paralleled ours."

"I'm sorry Major, but how does this help our situation?"

After she realized he had no idea where she was going with this she added, "With your permission, sir, I would like to continue gathering information about their universe. Maybe there was something - or some key event - that in turn made them just as successful in deflecting Apophis' surprise attack on Earth. A lot could be learned about the physics behind parallel universe theory as long as we can pin point the exact event that separates our universe from theirs. They are willing to openly discuss the details of their missions with us providing we do the same. I plan to keep a detailed log of all of the intel that I gather - Samantha Carter on their end will be doing the same. In any case, finding the difference could potentially save us, or even them, from another near miss sir. "

Shifting his gaze from Sam down to his file he weighed the risks before answering. "Okay Major. You have a go, however it shouldn't interfere with your regular duties on SG-1."

"That won't be a problem sir. Because their Major Samantha Carter is alive in that reality, I can only stay there for half days at a time as a precaution. There is always the risk of potentially experiencing convulsive shock - the same phenomena the alternate universe Dr. Samantha Carter experienced when she entered this reality about a year ago."

Hammond's eyebrows raised as she quickly realized his immediate reevaluation of the decision. "Is there any reason to be concerned about this Major?"

She shook her head, "I don't think so sir. We noted that the convulsions started well after this time frame in our previous experiences. In any case, I'll report to the infirmary after each visit just to make sure that there are no negative effects of re-entering the same alternate universe on more than one occasion. My off world activities with SG1 won't be affected. I plan to do this research between missions."

After a thought-filled moment, he nodded. "Very well. I will have the quantum mirror brought back to the SGC from area 51. I'll let you know when it arrives. Dismissed."

"Thank you sir." Beamed Sam as she walked out of his office.

* * *

"Hey, I just came by your lab to see if you wanted to grab lunch, but you weren't there." Daniel said sitting down across from Sam placing his tray down on the table.

She looked up from her notebook. "Yea sorry. I thought I'd get lunch early and finish up some last minute work before heading out in a few hours."

"So, Jack just told me that you're heading off to that alternate reality to do some more research."

"Yea, General Hammond cleared me this morning."

"Is that such a good idea? I mean, the last time another Samantha Carter came through the mirror things didn't go so well."

"I think we have a lot to learn about multi-universe theory. As far as I can tell their universe is exactly the same as ours at first glance which makes it so unique!" Realizing she hadn't addressed his concern she added, "Besides, the convulsions started two days after the other Samantha Carter arrived, so there's no immediate harm to me."

"You said before that the reasons these parallel universes exist to begin with is because they basically went down a different path than us at one point or another. Right?"

"Yes."

"So, following that theory, there must be some event that differentiates our world from theirs."

"Yes."

"So then isn't it possible that their defining moment hasn't happened yet? I mean you said before that there is _eventually_ a fork in road... who's to say that it has to occur before a certain point in time." Daniel questioned – eyebrows frilled behind his glasses.

"Theoretically, yes but I think it's a less likely scenario." Sam answered as she directed her attention away from the blue jello.

"But it's possible."

"Yea sure, I don't see why not."

"Well, in that case, there could be absolutely no differences between our reality and theirs so far and you'd be wasting a lot of time searching for a difference that doesn't exist."

"That's another distinct possibility. But I'd much rather rule that option out instead of not knowing. In the event that they have already experienced that... fork in the road... then I think there's a lot that we can learn from it. Possibly even dodge another Goa'uld attack."

"Don't you find it weird... talking to another one of... well... _you_ I guess?"

"Well it was kind of weird the first time another Samantha Carter came through, but I think I've gotten used to the idea."

"And everyone else is pretty much identical?" Daniel frowned.

"Carbon copies."

"Huh..." he thought a moment more, "Anyways, good luck. Let me know if you find out anything good."

"Thanks Daniel."

* * *

_...to be continued..._

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

**Keep in mind:**

Alternate Universe means that Sam is the main character and Carter/Major is the AU's Sam.

Our Universe means that Carter/Major is the main character and Sam is the AU's Sam.

I'll do my best to distinguish between the two since this can get confusing; the main character is always _our universe's _Sam Carter.

**Author's Note: **Had this chapter kicking around on my HD so I decided to finish it and post it since I'm suffering from a major case of writer's block for Regretfully Yours and Flames of Temptation... anyways, hope you guys like where this is headed ;)

- d3vilish

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The Quantum Mirror - Chapter 2

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ALTERNATE UNIVERSE:

"Welcome back to Earth Major... well, not... _your _Earth, but ... _our_ ... Earth." Jack O'Neill awkwardly greeted Sam on the other side as his eyebrows shifted with each word. She was dressed in regular civvies as to not get confused with their Samantha Carter. O'Neill couldn't help notice how different she looked out of standard issue BDUs. There was something comfortable and casual about the way she looked in jeans … relaxed almost. Her blue eyes seemed to shimmer against her casual look. He didn't know why, but her smile seemed to have a touch of mischief.

"Feel free to call me Sam. In a very weird chain of circumstances I guess you're not technically my commanding officer." she said following him through the halls of the alternate SGC although she knew well enough where she was going.

"Okay then, _**Sam**_, Carter's in her lab waiting for you. You know how she is...she just can't wait to start comparing notes."

"I think I understand, sir." They stopped just outside her lab door.

"Jack." he corrected before smugly adding, "…in some weird chain of circumstances, **Sam**, - " he enunciated, "- I guess you're not **"technically"** my second in command." He shot her a half smile before he opened the door to Carter's lab. "Carter."

She looked up from her research. "Sir!"

"The... um _other..._Samantha Carter is here." He motioned awkwardly not really sure how he should introduce her. She nodded with a smile noticing his boyish discomfort. "Alright Carters. I'll leave you to it." He clapped his hands, turned on his heel and left the two staring at the door hoping he'd come back. Sam watched Jack round the corner before she sat down on the lab stool across from Carter. She'd seen some bizarre things traveling through the gate, but staring yourself in the face was something that she just wasn't used to... no matter how much she tried to convince Daniel that it wasn't weird... it just was. This was exactly like her lab... but she was the stranger here. It was so easy to get confused between realities since they were so similar. She looked around the lab, made note of a few smaller differences. They both forced a smile - a smile which read "what am I doing here again?".

It took them a minute to warm up to each other, but it wasn't before long that they were sharing a warm conversation over blue jello and coffee in the mess hall.

"Grade 12 Physics Prof?"

"Mr. Anderson."

"Me too!"

"First boyfriend?"

"Hmmm... Grade 11. Michael Wilson. You?"

"Same! Hmmm...what did you think of Daniel the first time you met him?"

"I liked him immediately, but I just didn't know why. He felt a lot like…"

"…a brother." They both said in unison bursting into giggles. They were so absorbed in their conversation that they barely noticed all the stares they were getting from all the other military personnel.

"Enjoying yourself Carters?!" Jack approached, eyebrow raised at the peels of laughter coming from them.

"Um, yes sir." Carter blushed slightly before returning her gaze to her notebook.

_Is __**that**__ how I act when I'm around him!? There's no way! _Sam filled in the rest noticing how awkward the silence was becoming, "We've been trying to find differences in our realities starting with both of our lives. We haven't found any differences as yet… everything down to our high school teachers is the same. Seems like all the same major events have taken place in both of our lives at around the same times."

"So!" Jack asked in more of a statement rather than a question.

Sam put a cube of jello in her mouth. "So what?"

He took a seat across from her completely enjoying having two Carters around him. "So, when are you going to **do** me?!"

She choked on the jello she had in her mouth; hearing the words "do me" from Jack made her swallow it whole. Carter had her head down in her notebook, but it still didn't hide the smirk she had on her face. Sam knew her cheeks were flush red in embarrassment and lack of oxygen trying to get the lodged jello out of her throat.

Recovering she managed a weak, "Do what?!"

"Interview me." He said innocently although he knew damn well what it sounded like.

"Interview you?" She repeated back.

"Yea – I figure if you're interviewing Carter here that you're probably going to want to interview the rest of us. So why not start with me?"

She toyed with her jello some more. "Well I don't know sir –" Carter's head glanced up from her notebook noticing Sam's slip up, " – Jack, that all depends on if your recon mission gets canceled tomorrow. If ours does, then I'd love to come back and get more data."

"Already done. Hammond's postponed the mission. Daniel is being sent with SG-12 to take a look at some ruins that appear to be ancient design so the rest of us are going to be on the base for the next two days."

"Oh." She stated not really sure how she should respond. "Well, I guess I'll have to check with Gen ..." her watch alarm interrupted her mid sentence. Turning it off she shrugged. "Time to go." Sam stood up from the table and told Carter that she'd be back once she was cleared to come through again by Dr. Fraiser.

"Hang on. I'll walk you." Jack offered as he stood up with her.

"You sure? You don't have to, I mean, I know my way around the base pretty well." She offered.

"I gotta swing by Hammond's office anyway." They headed down the hallway back to where the quantum mirror was stored. "So, learn anything useful?"

"Um, no not too much. We just started at the basics. Seems like everything leading up to us being in the Stargate Program is identical."

"Really." His lips pursed in thought.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No, you were going to say something."

"No I wasn't."

"Yes you were!"

"Was not." She gave him a sharp look. Sam knew every little detail of Jack O'Neill's antics. Whenever he was in thought, he would glance off into space before saying something. "Oh for cryin' out loud - I _going _to say that you seem a bit different than our Carter."

Her interest piqued. "Really? Different how?"

He smiled as he started turning away, "Oh, just different." He called back to her as he disappeared through the door giving her one last smug glance before rounding the corner.

* * *

OUR UNIVERSE:

"Welcome back Major." Jack interrupted as he came into her lab clearly bored and looking for someone to bother.

"Thank you sir." She smiled at how similar the greetings had been between her Jack and their Jack.

"So - how did it go?"

"Pretty well. No convulsions or anything exciting."

"Damn! Was hoping for a good bedtime story!"

She smiled at his childish mannerisms as he toyed with something small on her desk. "Nothing really out of the ordinary - their Sam seems to be pretty much the same so far."

"So Doc Fraiser says you're heading back in tomorrow?"

"Yea, since General Hammond delayed the mission I figured I could interview Teal'C, Daniel and you on their side."

"Just when you thought you got rid of me!"

"You just keep turning up all over the damn place!"

"Looks like you're stuck with me in one way or another."

"Could be worse - there could be _two_ of you." She teased. He smiled at her, that intimite smile that let her know that he was glad she was fine and back.

"Good night Major."

"'Night sir."

"Oh and Major." She looked up at him. "Watch out for that Jack O'Neill character, he can be a sneaky bugger at times."

* * *

_to be continued._

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